Top Free Large Language Models for OpenClaw (March 2026) – Ranked by Cost, Chinese Support, Stability, and API Ease

1. Domestic Direct Access – Most Stable (No VPN)

For developers who need fast, reliable access within China, the following four models are recommended.

1. Zhipu AI – GLM-4-Flash / GLM-4.7-Flash (Top Choice)

Free Policy: Permanent free, no token limit, limited to 30 concurrent requests, which is sufficient for everyday use.

Core Capabilities: Strong Chinese understanding, code generation, AI‑Agent deployment, long‑text processing, fully compatible with OpenAI‑style API, works seamlessly with OpenClaw.

Applicable Scenarios: Long‑term free development, code review, OpenClaw/AI‑Agent construction.

Key API Information: https://open.bigmodel.cn/api/paas/v4/,

api: openai

2. Meituan LongCat – LongCat‑Flash‑Chat

Free Policy: New users receive a large amount of free quota; daily chat and lightweight calls are generally covered without extra payment.

Core Capabilities: Fluent, natural Chinese dialogue, fast response, OpenAI‑compatible, simple configuration.

Applicable Scenarios: Daily chatting, lightweight development, quick testing of OpenClaw configuration.

Key API Information: https://api.longcat.chat/openai,

api: openai

3. SiliconFlow – Free Open‑Source Models

Free Models: qwen/qwen2.5-7b-instruct, deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-R1 (both open‑source and free).

Free Policy: Sufficient daily/monthly free quota for lightweight usage.

Core Capabilities: Aggregates various open‑source models, fast access, OpenAI‑format support, compatible with OpenClaw.

Key API Information: https://api.siliconflow.cn/v1,

api: openai

4. Moonshot – Kimi (Free Tier)

Free Policy: Unlimited tokens, request rate limited to 3 per minute, suitable for non‑high‑frequency scenarios.

Core Capabilities: 256K context window, excels at long documents, papers, and code‑base analysis, outperforms peer free models.

Applicable Scenarios: Long‑form reading, report writing, code understanding and analysis.

Key API Information: https://api.moonshot.cn/v1,

api: openai

2. International Free Models (Require Compliant Access)

Suitable for developers who want to test overseas models and can access them through compliant channels.

1. OpenRouter – Aggregation Platform with Generous Free Quota

Free Quota: 200 requests per day, 20 requests per minute – enough for testing.

Available Free Models: Llama 3.3 70B, Mistral 7B, DeepSeek R1, among others.

Core Advantage: One API key gives access to multiple international free models with automatic switching, eliminating repeated configuration.

Key API Information: https://openrouter.ai/api/v1,

api: openai

2. Cerebras Inference

Free Quota: Approximately 14,400 requests per day, high token limits – suitable for batch testing.

Available Models: Llama 3, Mistral, Qwen series – a rich variety.

Core Advantage: Strong stability, ideal for batch testing and production‑grade validation scenarios.

3. Quick Scenario‑Based Selection (Latest March 2026)

Long‑term stable development / Agent: Choose GLM-4-Flash – permanent free, no token limits.

Chinese daily chat / lightweight development: Choose LongCat – fast response, ample quota, domestic direct access.

Long‑document / paper analysis: Choose Kimi Free – 256K context, unlimited tokens.

Multi‑model testing / switching: Choose OpenRouter – single key to call global models.

Code generation / review: Choose GLM-4.7-Flash or DeepSeek R1 – top‑tier code abilities.

4. OpenClaw One‑Click Configuration (Copy‑Paste)

No need to write configuration manually; copy the relevant block, replace the API key, and the setup works for beginners.

1. Zhipu GLM‑4‑Flash (Most Stable, Recommended)

<p>openclaw config set 'models.providers.zhipu' --json '{
  "baseUrl": "https://open.bigmodel.cn/api/paas/v4/",
  "apiKey": "YOUR_ZHIPU_API_KEY",
  "api": "openai",
  "models": [{"id": "glm-4-flash", "name": "GLM-4-Flash (Free)", "contextWindow": 128000, "maxTokens": 8192}]
}'

openclaw models set zhipu/glm-4-flash
openclaw gateway restart</p>

2. Meituan LongCat

<p>openclaw config set 'models.providers.longcat' --json '{
  "baseUrl": "https://api.longcat.chat/openai",
  "apiKey": "YOUR_LONGCAT_API_KEY",
  "api": "openai",
  "models": [{"id": "longcat-flash-chat", "name": "LongCat-Flash", "contextWindow": 32768, "maxTokens": 8192}]
}'

openclaw models set longcat/longcat-flash-chat
openclaw gateway restart</p>

3. Combined Zhipu + LongCat + SiliconFlow (Ultimate Version)

Configure three free models at once; replace the three API keys after copying.

<p>openclaw config set 'models.providers' --json '{
  "zhipu": {
    "baseUrl": "https://open.bigmodel.cn/api/paas/v4/",
    "apiKey": "YOUR_ZHIPU_API_KEY",
    "api": "openai",
    "models": [{"id": "glm-4-flash", "name": "Zhipu‑GLM4‑Flash (Free Forever)", "contextWindow": 128000, "maxTokens": 8192}]
  },
  "longcat": {
    "baseUrl": "https://api.longcat.chat/openai",
    "apiKey": "YOUR_LONGCAT_API_KEY",
    "api": "openai",
    "models": [{"id": "longcat-flash-chat", "name": "Meituan‑LongCat‑Flash (Free Quota)", "contextWindow": 32768, "maxTokens": 8192}]
  },
  "siliconflow": {
    "baseUrl": "https://api.siliconflow.cn/v1",
    "apiKey": "YOUR_SILICONFLOW_API_KEY",
    "api": "openai",
    "models": [{"id": "qwen/qwen2.5-7b-instruct", "name": "Silicon‑Qwen2.5‑7B (Free Forever)", "contextWindow": 32768, "maxTokens": 8192}]
  }
}'
# Set default model (recommended permanent free GLM‑4‑Flash)
openclaw models set zhipu/glm-4-flash
# Restart to apply
openclaw gateway restart</p>

5. Pitfall Alerts (Must‑Read)

Free ≠ Unlimited: All free models impose concurrency or rate limits; during peak times you may encounter throttling, so plan call frequency wisely.

Protect Your API Key: Do not expose the key publicly; misuse can exhaust your free quota.

Domestic Preference: For stable access within China, prioritize Zhipu, LongCat, and SiliconFlow – they require no VPN and rarely error after configuration.

Model Switching Tips: After configuring multiple models, switch quickly with openclaw models set MODEL_NAME without re‑configuring.

If you encounter errors during configuration, leave a comment for rapid troubleshooting assistance.